Improvement in farm-locomotive



2 Sheets-Sheet 1. D. F. LEACH.

Portable Locomotive.

No. 93.316. Patented'Aug, 3,1869

N, PETERS. Photo-lilhognphur. wmin m. 0.15.

I 2 Sheets--Sheet 2, D. F. LEACH.

Portable Locomotive.

No. 93316. L Patented Aug. 3, 1869.

the rim of one of the tractionavheels.

ratus detached.

the water-tanks; and L L, the coal-bunkers of an or- DAN/{EL LEACH, OF

FORSYTH-, ILLINOIS.

Letters Patent No. 93,316, dated August 3, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN FARM-LocoMorI'vE. I

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL F. LEAQH, of Forsyth, in the county of Macon, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and improved l arm-Locomotive; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had. to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation.

Figure2 is a horizontal section, through the line y y of fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a detached. view, showing a portion of Figure 4 is a longitudinal line a; a of fig. 5.

Figure 5 is a bottom vieworthe fifth-wheel apparertical section, through The object of this invention is to improve the construction and arrangement of the device which supports and guides the forward wheels, and to improve the construction of the traction-wheels of locomotives employed for farm-work. To this end,

The invention consists,- first, in the employment of the apparatus represented in figs. 4 and 5, as a species of filth-wheel, or horizontally-rotating apparatus, supporting and guiding the forward wheels and their axle, and furnishing the means by which the locomotive is steered, said apparatus being arranged with relation to the boiler and en'gine,as will be fully understood from figs. 1 and 2; and secondly, in a newand improved construction of the tread of the drivingwheels, as represented in figsrl and 3.

In connection with these improvements, I employ a new arrangement of cog-gearing, belt-pulleys, &c. as will be more fully understood from the description of said parts hereinafter following.

In the drawings, A represents the awning, or cab; B, the boiler; G, the smoke-stack; D D, the platforms; E E, the cylinders; F, the piston-rods; G, the working-shaft; H H, the frame and guards; K K,

dinary hum-locomotive.

No particular form of these parts has any necessary connection with my improvements, and they may be of any form, size, or construction that can be adapted for use in connection-with the apparatus, which I will now proceed to describe.

And first, the fifth-wheel apparatus, as represented in figs. 4 and 5.

This consists of two horizontal rings, M M, of equal size, bolted to the frame-pieces H H respectively, in the position shown in fig. 1, one of the rings being exactly over the other.

These two rings form a circular guide-track. around between the two rings, their upper and under edges overlapping the edges of the rings, and the twpplates supporting spool-shaped, or pulley-shaped friction-rollers, or wheels, to w, that travel round between the rings carrying the frame mm and the ends of the beam N with them.

At its centre, the beam N supports a stout block, or axle, P,"fixed to it in a transverse position, and the forward or steering-wheels I I are hung upon suitable journals or spindles projecting from the ends of the tranverse blook,or axle, each wheel revolving independently of the other.

The wheels can thus rise and fall, to accommodate themselves to theinequalities of the ground, the beam N rocking for that purpose, and at the same time they may be made to takeany horizontal direction, by sliding the boxes at m round between the rings.

In order to slide-said boxes, a cog-rim, a, is fastened to them,'gearing with a small pinion, q, or ahandspindle, Q, by turning which the locomotive may be guided in any direction, at pleasure.

The second feature of my invention consists in the employment of a series of inclines, a a a, arr. nged on the rim of the traction-wheels J J, so as to constitute the tread thereof, as shown in figs. 1 and 2.

These inclines are preferably formed of metallic plates, bent, or cast in the form shown in fig. 3, and bolted, through their terminal flanges, to the face of the wheel, by bolts 1" 'r, the front end of one of the plates being bolted upon the rear end of the other, with a piece of rubber, leather, or other packing, a, between them, to diminish the danger of fracture from any sudden shock or jar.

The plates at a a are so arranged, that as the locomotive moves forward, their long, fiat face, resembling the bypothe'nuse of a triangle, will approach theground in a line nearly parallel to it, striking almost flat upon it. If arranged in the opposite position, the sharp, salient angle of their outline would firststrike the ground-and, if the locomotive should become stalled, would plow up the ground badly; whereas, by my arrangement, above described, this diificulty is entirely obviated, the wheel, in such case, simply beating or stamping a little deeper bed there than at any other point along the track. I

Another advantage of the arrangement is, that in passing over pebbles, and slight inequalities of the ground, it tends to slide the wheel forward as it rises over them, instead of throwing it back.

The tractionvvheel is operated by a small pinion, g,

on the end of shaft G, gearing with an internal cogrirn on the inner edge of the wheel, and arranged immediately forward of the centre of the large wheel, so that it acts directly to depress the front edge of the traction-wheel, instead of lifting upon its rear edge, as usually arranged heretofore.

It is believed that the power thus applied is more economically utilized than when applied at the rear edge of the wheel.

Upon the shaft G are arranged two (more or less) beltpulleys, t t, which may be employed when the 10- comotive is used as a stationary engine for any purpose.

Having thus described my invention,

Witnesses CHAS A. PETTIT, S. O. KEMON. 

